A “Bad Haircut” Reveals The Secret To Renewal

The other morning when I was jumping on my mini-trampoline in the walk-out basement, as I do most mornings, I stared at our peace lily plant, a four foot high houseplant which lives on the front porch in the warmer months. Its yellow and dead leaves drooped sadly, a shabby version of its former self.

While I love nature and trees and plants, I don’t have much of a green thumb. But I finally couldn’t stand it any more. I grabbed the pruning scissors and snipped off all the sick or dead leaves. I didn’t know the best place to cut them – at the root? higher up? – but I snipped away, anyway.

It was like giving yourself a bad haircut, where you can’t stop, and you keep trying to even it up and it gets shorter and shorter. When I was done with my little rampage, the plant looked almost bare. I prayed I had not done it irreparable harm. I tossed the cut leaves into the woods and waited to see what would happen.

About a week later, while again doing my morning jumping ritual, I noticed a change in the lily. The leaves were shiny, erect and strong looking, and a dozen or so small leaves had poked up from the soil. And there was even a beautiful white lily blooming! Apparently, my risky experiment had been just the ticket. The plant was thriving.

I had a sudden realization, also known as an epiphany: it seems that cutting the deadwood out can literally release a ton of energy and lead to magnificent renewal.

So I asked myself: what deadwood in my life could I proceed to prune mercilessly, knowing it would “juice” me and give me renewal? Trust me, I came up with a few answers! And I ask you now, what deadwood in your life can you snip out? Don’t be afraid of a “bad haircut.” Whether you’re dealing with employees, relationships, clutter, too many clothes, too many projects, let go of the unnecessary that’s dragging everything down and make room for the new!